


If That Love Was Just a Curse

by smolcake



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal, Slow Burn, Witch Hunt!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-05-30 09:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6418222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolcake/pseuds/smolcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are two types of magic in this world:</p><p>That which corrupts, and that which cleanses.</p><p>Those that corrupt or are corrupted, until more cleansers become available, are burned at the stake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. There was a Young Witch in the Land

**Author's Note:**

> I came out of Fanfic retirement because of this show and fandom. 
> 
> I'm not sorry. I planned this all out before the Volpina episode came out, so unfortunately no Lila or Volpina. :c

There were certain rules to being a witch. 

It was really simple things in the long run though. Introduce yourself to the leader of city. Offer to help the townspeople with ailments. Don’t practice malicious magic. Don’t allow regular civilians see you practice magic outside of your magical persona.

Marinette had followed all those rules to the letter. She had introduced herself and her particular brand of cleansing magic to the mayor and his daughter under the alias Ladybug. As she was allowed to keep her identity secret, she conjured a red mask, a red cloak, and a red dress with black spots to hide her flour stained dress and apron.

While she had lived in this city her whole life, she was still the newest witch in town, yet she made a friend within her first hours of being registered. Marinette had gone to the outskirts of the city to gather plants to attract aphids and white flies, which would eventually attract her namesake. While she was attempting to navigate her way back to her home, she had gotten lost and ran into a young man with a black mask and what appeared to be cloth cat ears attached to his head.

He went by the alias of Chat Noir. 

Although he had lived in the city for years, he had not gotten the opportunity to explore of his own volition before his powers allowed him to do so without so much as the sound of a foot moving against the dirt. 

“Why?”

“You could say my father is very protective of me.”

A moment of silence passes between them as they begin to make their way within the city walls, the guards eyeing them, yet not moving from their posts. 

Eventually they reached a crossroads where they were to split. 

“Until we meet again, my lady.” Chat Noir bowed to her, and then turned and made his way deeper into the city, towards where Marinette would assume he lived. 

Marinette then turned and went down the various streets she had left mere hours before. When she found an abandoned alley, she ducked in, tugged on the hood of the cloak, and returned to being nothing more than a bakers daughter. Marinette returned to her home where she was greeted warmly by her parents, and began to help them by taking stock of what they had available. 

While she was counting, she felt her mind wander to her new friend. If what he told her was correct, he had not the power of cleansing, but of destruction. _If anything,_ Marinette thought, _it’s a perfect opposite to what I can do. Although dangerous if that power fell into the wrong hands._

A bell chimed from the front of the store while Marinette was halfway through counting barrels of flour.   “One moment please.”

Marinette marked where she was, and moved to the store front. Waiting at the counter was a girl around her age with copper hair and amber eyes that were gazing around the room, as if hoping to sample each of the treats on display through sight alone. 

“How may I help you?”

The girls gaze snapped to Marinette, trying to suppress the shock that was evident on her features. 

“I’m sorry. I went into town to get some supplies for my mother and I seem to have lost my way. Can you direct me to the inn run by the Bourgeois family?”

Marinette instantly felt pity for the girl. The Bourgeois family ran one of the most respected inns in the kingdom, although the father and daughter who owned and ran it were two of the most rotten and corrupt people Marinettes family has ever had to do business with. To have to return to that inn after getting lost would probably reflect poorly on the girls family, even if she had never been in the city before.

“I’ll take you there myself, so there will be no chance of you getting lost again.”

The girls gaze then turned questioning.  “Are you sure you’ll be allowed to do that?”

Marinette nodded and allowed a soft smile to grace her face.  “I know a good portion of the city by heart. My parents will understand if I tell them I was helping you. Just wait here, okay?”  The girl nodded, and Marinette went to locate her parents. She found them by the oven; watching and making sure the bread within did not burn. Marinette explained what had happened and why she would be gone. 

“Go on Marinette. We can watch over the shop until you get back.”

Marinettes mother smiled at her, and Marinette hugged both of her parents, and promised to be back before sunset before grabbing her cloak and leading the girl out of the bakery.

As Marinette led the girl through the town, she learned her name was Alya and her mother was the new chef for the inn. Her mother had been given the position when Mayor Bourgeois visited the village in order to congratulate the villages resident cleanser on over five years of admirable service. No such celebration would be complete without a village wide feast, for which Alya’s mother made a cassoulet that, although was considered a peasants dish, causing Mayor Bourgeois to inquire to the creator of the dish’s skill. After tracking down ally’s mother and inquiring about her finesse in the kitchen, Mayor Bourgeois offered her a position in his inn. 

As the inn came into sight, a small procession of people clad in various shades of purple cut off Marinette and Alya.

“What’s this all about?” Alya asked, while gesturing to the group.

“One of the things you should know about how your mother got the job, is that it was recently vacated thanks to these people. They serve a noble that goes by the name Hawkmoth, and his goal with them is to find people who have been possessed by demons and, well, get rid of them.”

As Marinette finished this explanation, the procession had moved farther away from them and they continued making their way to the inn. 

“Them as in the demons or the people?”

“Unfortunately, both. Hawkmoth says he will only stop when he has the items the demons use to possess the people, but he cant get them until the people no longer act as puppets, and in order to do that they get burned at the stake, more often than not in the center of town for everyone to see.”

“That’s a bit morbid, don't you think?”

“Yeah, and most of the time it’s fruitless because there’s nothing in the ashes but a dark purple butterfly.”

At this bit of news, Alya paused, causing Marinette to walk a few feet away before realizing her new friend was not at her side.

“Alya?”

“Sorry Marinette, it’s just a bit much to take in. Let me make sure I’m understanding what you’re telling me. There’s a noble that goes by the name of Hawkmoth that abuses his position to murder innocent people in front of a jeering crowd in the name of cleansing the town?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s a bit messed up. The cleanser for the village I came from never conducted raids or any of that.”  Marinette shrugged.  “There’s not much we can do unless someone else shows up with a better way to cleanse the town.”

With this, the girls had arrived at their destination. Alya led Marinette to the back entrance, where they could enter the kitchen without worry of disturbing the various guests. From there, Marinette greeted Alya’s mother, then Alya and Marinette explained why it had taken Alya so long to return. 

“Thank you very much for bringing Alya home, Marinette. Hopefully with this job, we’ll be able to buy Alya those spectacles she needs. She always stays up late talking about her favorite cleansers, and she forgets to light a candle when she's going over the information she has complied in her journals.”

Marinate looked over to Alya, who shrugged in response.

“That’s why I got lost.”

“Now that I think about it, that makes sense.”

Marinette and Alya waited for a second, before breaking out in giggles. After laughing together for a minute or so, Marinette bid Alya and her mother farewell and returned to the bakery she called home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did y'all know that in the Salem Witch Trials, none of the convicted were burned at the stake?


	2. When the Moon's Reaching Out to the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette visits Tikki.

That night, long after her parents had gone to sleep, Marinette went to check on her plants. While the moon was only a sliver in the sky, it was cloudless and that was all she needed to find her way to her small garden. 

Marigolds and White Cosmos greeted her, as did Cilantro and Nasturtium. Her garden was made to attract aphids, which in turn attracted ladybugs, which she watched over and made sure they had water so they may stay. 

While on any other night, Marinette would have gladly spent her time tending and admiring her garden, tonight she had to speak with the one who granted her the powers she now wields.

“Tikki?” The call was soft, yet laced with an apprehension that was befitting of the teenage girl. 

Soon enough, Marinette saw a small streak of red circle around the garden, before the creature stopped in front of her smiling as though there was nothing strange about this meeting.

“Hi Marinette! How did your first day go?” Tikki asked, her eyes pleading for the details that Marinette was happy to comply with. 

“It was wonderful Tikki! I wish you could’ve come along.”

Marinette then relayed her days adventures with Alya to Tikki, who smiled and told Marinette how happy she was that she made the girl feel welcome. 

Before long, Marinette had only her encounter with Chat Noir to tell, and the look Tikki was giving her told Marinette that Tikki would know if she tried to hide it.

“Okay, so I was out looking for plants I met this boy with a black mask and cloth cat ears on his head.”

Tikki’s smile seemed to grow.

“Marinette, do you remember when we first met, I said there was one who was your equal?”

“Yeah?”   

“Tell me again what you thought of Chat Noir’s powers?”  

Marinette hummed.   “Like mine, but instead of creation his focus is on destruction. Why do you ask- oh. So he’s going be my partner?”

Tikki nodded.

“He is the bad luck to your good luck. As long as you two work together, there will be nothing to worry about.”

Marinette smiled at Tikki, happy that the kwami was more than willing to help fill in some of the blanks. 

“Tikki, what am I going to do if I need to access the cleansing magic and you aren't around?”

“I just need to rest for one more day Marinette. Then you wont have to worry about that. For now, rub your earrings and the hood and mask should appear, providing enough magic to at least calm down the person you’re cleaning.”

Marinette let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.   She hoped she would be able to live up to the expectations and reputation the kwami insinuated that the cleansing powers would leave her with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is both late and short. 
> 
> I shouldve had this written up a month ago, but it was a fighter.
> 
> Dont worry though. I've already got the ending down and the next chapter is on the way (✿ ♥‿♥)


	3. A Small Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan and Kim have to get food.

Ivan, was to most people, a very intimidating young man. 

He was tall and had broad shoulders. His gaze was rumored to strike fear into the followers of Hawkmoth without a remedy that didn't require Hawkmoth to personally address each one that had been struck as such. 

His seemingly permanent scowl paired with the scar he had on his right eyebrow and dark clothing did not help matters in the least. 

Today he was to go to bakery run by Marinette’s parents and place an order for Mayor Bourgeois’s welcoming party for his new chef. 

“No, Chef Césaire,” he had overheard the mayor say, “this is a party welcoming you and your daughter to our fair city. You shouldn’t have to work on the meals and presentation for it. I insist.” 

As the Mayor began to turn away from his new chef, he spotted Ivan watching the conversation. 

“Ivan, if you would be so kind, would you go with Kim to place an order for me at Tom and Sabine’s?”   Ivan, whose father was under the employ of Mayor Bourgeois, could not refuse. As such, he now found himself with Kim, who was training to become a knight good enough to serve under the Mayor as Chloe’s personal retainer. 

“So then I challenged Alix to this race and - Ivan? Are you listening to me?”  Ivan glanced over at his companion. 

“Do you really think that will help you get in with Chloe’s father, with all these challenges to the others?”

“Hey, if I don't establish myself as the best now it’s gong to be more difficult later. Especially when Chloe eventually goes to find a husband.”

Ivan let out a grunt in response. 

“What’s it matter to you anyway? You trying to pick up tips or something?”

Ivan kept his eyes forward as Kim looked to him expecting Ivan to give away anything along those lines.

“So, you got over the crush on the thespians daughter then?”

Ivan felt his face flush, and was relieved that he could steer the conversation towards the bakery that they now stood in front of.

“We’re here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *jazz hands* 
> 
> Its something?


End file.
